


What We Could Have

by Xx_Yvonne_xX



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-01-30 00:23:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21419137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xx_Yvonne_xX/pseuds/Xx_Yvonne_xX
Summary: A story that follows Pink and the other Diamonds in the past when they had been close.
Kudos: 17





	1. Hopeful Reunion

"Quickly, Pink!" Blue Diamond ushered, a bright smile on her lips as she peeks from the small slit of her door. "I've had the pool chamber set up already."

"I know. I'm coming right behind you, Blue." Pink chuckles, letting Blue take her by the hand, leading her to the room the other diamond had painstakingly designed. It was the first time White and Yellow would be seeing it too, with it being a project exclusively mapped out and built by Blue, her Pearl and some Quartzs. 

A cacophony of voices and splashes greeted her the moment she stepped inside. Pink could see streams of water down the stairs, with the room taking on a comfortable, darker hue compared to the spotless marble floor outside. There's even a huge waterfall at the back, adding on to the peaceful sound of water. 

"It's-- it's perfect." She marvels, clasping her hands to her lips proudly as she spun around to look at the room from all sides. "Is this really going to be the place where we'd be hanging around in the future?"

"Yes. Anything for you, Pink." Blue leads the smaller diamond into the pool chamber, seemingly a little amused at how she had to stay at the sides because of the water level.

At first, they'd been unsure of what to do there, but slowly begun warming up to the experience. Perhaps they'd try to seek comfort in each other's presence after a day of mapping out new infrastructure to be built on what they'd soon call 'Homeworld', or perhaps it had been just for them to escape the work they had been doing (with Yellow being the most guilty, having caught in the act numerous times). 

But Pink had thought of it as time well spent each time. It was something to look forward to, something that gave her purpose while she loiters around the newly established halls for their own personal palace. As Blue had once said, they would soon be seen as the rulers of the kingdom, with Pink being something like a princess for them to spoil. She had gladly accepted all of that; the nickname of 'Starlight' White would refer to her as, the way Yellow would always look out for her despite not saying anything. 

When they were at the pool chamber, she'd try several tricks she spent days or even weeks practising while the diamonds were away. Once, she'd bubbled the water and attempted to juggle them while trying her best not to break them, a trick she had to spend ages to perfect. White had been the most impressed, peering at her through narrowed eyes as she asked her how she'd done that. And Pink had chuckled as she watched her do it with her giant hands, her elegance completely lost when she dropped the water onto her hair at the first try. 

Both Blue and Yellow would be under pretense, as if they weren't looking while in actual fact they were secretly containing their laughter. White always did look prideful, still, despite the flash of light pink on her cheeks. 

Everything had been perfect. She'd be showered with a barriage of affection, and even if she wasn't when the other diamonds were busy, that was fine. She could wait.

She just didn't know _when_ it started to change.

Slowly as time progresses, the other Diamonds grew more distant with their increasing workload. They'd have more things to do, more plans to formulate. And Pink would just stare at them for ages at the side while they spoke to their Pearls, Quartzes, a grin on her face until they had been done with whatever they were doing, having forgotten about her long ago. 

Going to the pool chamber was their haven. A special place built just for all the Diamonds.

At least, that's what she thought.

"...Blue. Have you got a second?" Hearing Yellow's voice made Pink halt. The smaller diamond, who was supposedly going in to Blue's room to invite her to the next pool party, stops at the slightly ajar door.

"If it's possible, I think we should minimise the amount of times we're going to the pool chamber. White claims it's been taking up a lot of her time recently, and you know how busy she is with the new kindergarden."

Her eyes widened at that. She leaned closer to the door, noticing how Yellow didn't even stop with her work. She's typing away on the new screen of technology, noting down the progress of her own work. 

"Blue?" Yellow asked again, a little louder this time, and Blue jolts from her seat a little.

Her eyes flared momentarily-- and Pink had wanted to leap inside at that, to tell them it's not okay for things to be this way. The Diamonds are leaders, of course, but Pink didn't want to see them change. 

Slowly, she had been the one to watch as the excitement in their eyes begun to wear out. They begun to withdraw from others, away from any space anyone was in, even the other diamonds. They've built up their reputation as fierce leaders, cold and with a demand to be respected.

But Pink had known with her heart that things didn't start out this way. That things didn't have to change.

She had needed a voice. Another diamond to take her stand and say that things are not okay. 

She watched, her mouth agape, waiting for a reply as Blue stares up at Yellow with a forlorn expression. At that moment, it was as if her blue eyes were strong and ferocious and full of tidal waves again, expressive, like before.

But then it faded, and the waves were no more, leaving behind simply the ocean with no fight in them, leaving behind what seemed like a sort of calmness.

"Oh, okay. I'll talk to Pink about it." Blue mutters, looking away, and Pink abruptly felt like an emptiness eat away at her. She wanted to go up there. She had a fight to win, a fight to get who the diamonds were back. She would formulate her own plans, have her own army for that. She'd make sure this was a masterpiece, something the diamonds would remember her for, something which woule cause them to be at a loss of words once she was done.

Pink wanted a fight. She wanted a win. 

... She wanted a hug.

_Had their times at the pool meant so less to them? _Had the diamonds' encouraging gazes been full of annoyance all along?

_How could she not have known?_

Hearing the noise of Yellow's footsteps coming towards the door, Pink abruptly fled the scene, shielding her face with her arm, wiping away the remnants of what had been tears. She ran until she was safe in her own room, the wind slapping at her face, mocking, the Quartzes that she ran past seemingly condescending as they held up the dumb diamond salute. 

It was that same dumb salute that caused them to have to be apart, after all.

Hadn't she been a fool to have? She had been so happy when White, Yellow and Blue agreed to come for every pool party. She had thought it was something special for them when they'd play that game where she'd stand at the very bottom of the pool, singing, with the others guessing at the very top. 

And in the end, all of them had been wanting to leave her behind. Even Blue, even Yellow, with no fight at all. They had _agreed_\-- agreed that it was just a waste of time.

_Pathetic_. Look at just how pathetic you are, Pink _diamond_.

"Hey. Pink?" Her Pearl called out, knocking on her door. "Can I come in?"

"Ah, yeah, sure." She quickly wiped her face, though it probably didn't help. Pink Pearl walked in boldly without even saluting, coming to her side immediately and putting a hand on her shoulder. 

"... Were things bad today, too?"

"I guess. I just found out that the other diamonds never wanted to be around me. Maybe they've seen me as someone annoying, and I didn't even know all along." Pink sighed, casting a lazy, sad smile towards her Pearl. "Stupid, right?"

"They just don't know how to appreciate you." Her Pearl sat down on the tower of pillows they had put together, swinging her legs. "Well, since you're sad today, how about I show you something I got from Blue Pearl?"

"Nah. Is it another drawing of the diamonds during the pool parties?" Pink shook her head, "It's amazing but, I think I should take a break from this whole diamond thing. Sometimes, I actually wish I wasn't made a diamond."

She jumped off her pillow tower and grinned. "Well, that aside, how about _I_ show you something I perfected?"

"Heh, how can I refuse, _my diamond_?" Pink Pearl does a bow out of courtesy, the action looking so ridiculous on someone like her. 

"Right, right. Of course you've to follow my orders, _my Pearl_." Pink scoffed, creating a few bubbles around her, hopping and maintaining her balance on one. She had had too much time on her hands-- with it leading to her trying to pass time one way or another. Without much effort, she began juggling them, finding a sense of satisfaction with how mesmerised Pearl looked. Hopping off without warning, she then lands gracefully to the ground, sending a flying kiss in her direction.

She grinned while the smaller gem claps. She had wanted to see a similar reaction from the Diamonds too, but she supposed there wouldn't be many chances after. 

"Pink?" Yellow's voice emits throughout the room. Stunned, both the two gems flinched, staring at each other before nodding at each other, a plan in mind. Pink immediately went to set up the body mirror while her Pearl got rid of the pillow towers. They then rushed back ungracefully, almost tripping on one another, pretending as though Pink was dressing up for an occasion. 

"Oh. _Hey_, Yellow." She greets when the door opens, feigning a little bit of surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"The first batch of new gems are finally about to emerge from White's kindergarden." Yellow exclaims. "It's a big deal, and White wants you to witness it as well."

"No way. Did she manage to get resources from that other planet?" 

"Yes. Come on now, before you miss it. They're expected to emerge soon."

"You want me around?"

"Of course." Yellow arched an eyebrow. "Or do you not want to tag along?"

Flabbergasted and unsure of what to say, Pink stares on with starry eyes, scrambling to her feet. "W-what?! Of course, I'm-- yeah! _Sure_! I'll be out in a minute."

Yellow harrumphs before leaving, shaking her head, a smile on her face. Pink shares a glance with her Pearl and snickers.

Maybe things won't be as bad, after all.


	2. Difference Between

"Yellow, Pink, you're here. Come on, White's waiting." Blue eagerly came towards them once she spotted them, leading them towards the direction of the kindergarden of the Kyanite colony that White Diamond had most recently conquered. 

As they trudged on the path filled with leaves, Pink was more than amazed, looking around in sheer wonder. Back at Homeworld the ground was either bare or built with land for maximum efficiency, and even then the smallest bits of grass had been dishevelled, looking as though they had been beaten into submission. The wind would howl without mercy day and night, bitter.

But here. 

Here, instead of flashy shades of yellows and cyans and whites it's full of earthen colours, of a mixture of reds and oranges. There are ploughed fields of brown in the distance, and on the hill they were walking past held real flowers, swaying a little, their petals looking like they were painted, so surreal and colourful she could hardly believe it. She'd only heard of them back on Homeworld and seen files on them, but had never actually seen them in person.

Tousled auburn ribbons of leaves whip past her face, blown over by cool air. Pink could hardly believe it, how this world looked like a kaleidoscope, the petals huge and trees looking like they were looming above her. She would never have been able to see any of this back home.

And then she spotted it.

There was something hypnotically mellow about the little creature that was painted all the colours of the rainbow. It moves in serendipitous confidence on the ground, babbling something at the same time, and though she couldn't understand, she picked it up anyway, diamonds in her eyes, noticing a whole swarm of that very same creature not too far away. 

"Pink! What are you doing?" Yellow whispered fiercely, disgust written all over her face as she took in the sight of the colourful worm. "What is _that_?"

"I don't know. But it looks cute though!"

"I seem to think otherwise." Blue shivers at the sight of the creature, flinching and moving back immediately when Pink turns to look at her with the creature crawling over her hair. "You should put it back. White wouldn't want to see you with... _That_."

"Then, can I come back to pick them up afterwards?" She asked hopefully, putting the little worm back in its rightful place, watching it writhe and crawl back to its friends. "Please...? Blue?"

Both Yellow and Blue shared a glance. Pink raises her eyebrows, eyes still diamond-shaped, hopeful. Blue bites her lip, but finally relents, sighing as she dismissed her action with a wave of her hand. "Alright. As long as you find a place to keep them."

"That's why you're my favourite, Blue!"

"Ahem."

"I mean, both of you are my favourites!"

* * *

They've reached where White was in no time. She seemed to be busy, overviewing the whole process and looking through her files, waiting a little impatiently for the whole process to happen.

"White?"

"Oh. You're here, starlight." She put aside her file for a moment, eyeing Pink for just a moment with a smile on her face. Surprised at the sudden attention, the smaller diamond flushed and grinned back. "It's about to happen. Just watch."

Surrounding them were their Pearls and some Quartzes, who never took their eyes off of the hunk of rock that the new batch of gems were to supposedly emerge from. Their voices rose in amusement, a crowd of murmurs starting within their own groups as they noticed a beam of light starting to come from the rock, in the shape of a gem.

There's something like a tiny explosion before a personally-made hole was created, and out of there a pair of golden eyes peeked out towards them, with it being very visible in the dark.

Noticing the diamonds, the Pyrite gem jumped out, flustered but eager to serve. She held up her hands in a diamond salute, greeting them quickly, reporting her facet and gem cut. 

Behind her, similar gems were emerging. Pink watched in wonder as they jumped out in a flourish, all serious and already at their service, coming to the front to report to the diamonds. Before long, there was already what seemed like a whole army of Pyrites, all looking so different yet the same, their uniforms a combination of grey and dull yellow, the white diamond symbol embedded clearly on the centre of their chests.

"Alright. Head back to Homeworld on the spaceship I've sent you. You will be briefed on your duties to create weapons for Homeworld gems."

"Yes, My Diamond!"

"Wait!" Pink grasped White's arm, staring up at her with wide, pleading eyes. "Can I go on the same spaceship as them? Can I can I can I?"

The bigger diamond sighed. She looked at Blue and Yellow for help, with none of them seeming to be immune when she makes that face. 

"... Alright," She finally utters. "But Blue has to go with you."

* * *

They found themselves inside of the spaceship in no time. While Blue didn't seem too interested in having a conversation with the Pyrites, Pink definitely was, shaking each of their shoulders and looking them over with a huge, proud grin. Though the gems weren't hers, she still found it amusing how they were existing next to her now when they had still been that hunk of rock before.

"Oh, look at you! Welcome to Homeworld." She hugs one of the Pyrite gem with a smile, noticing how her facewas growing beet red at that statement. Despite so, she merely salutes again and thanks her, though their reactions towards her probably would have been different if she wasn't who she was, that is.

"Blue! What happens next after they get to Homeworld?" She scrambles up towards the larger diamond, practically climbing up to her lap. "Do they just get to work immediately?"

"No. Every batch of gems are to get named specifically. This Pyrite batch will be the first to experience that." Blue diamond explained, "It gives us an easier time to identify them. To add on to their facet and cut, we normally associate them with titles like "builders", "vision holders", "soldiers", and so on."

"Oh. Is that so?" A mischievous smile found its way up her lips. Blue sighs, shaking her head. "What are you up to again, Pink?"

* * *

"Now that we've all settled down, why not we begin with the briefing." White Diamond came on screen in the ship. It's dark, with only the projector being the source of light. "Where's your leader?"

Silence. White looks around at the bunch of Pyrites, her expression growing stern. "I don't want to repeat myself."

"My Diamond!" The Pyrite bit her lip, looking immensely nervous as she stepped out from her team. "Fool's Gold Facet 1 Cut 9XL reporting!"

"What?"

"Uh, my diamond, it was Pink Diamond's instructions..." She shuffled on her feet a little, sweating.

"Pink, what do you think you're doing?" White whispered fiercely, her face growing bigger on screen, her eyebrows knitted together in fury.

"Come on, White, it's fine. You'd have to name them anyway, so why not? I came up with something memorable. And-- and I even had Blue's Pearl key the information into the system!"

"You WHAT?!" Hearing White lose it made Pink chuckle out loud. She heard a few mutters as her fingers flew across the screen, followed by her logging into the system, making a face when she noticed that the Pyrite gems were indeed under the label of 'Fool's Gold'. She sighs, then eyes Blue with a wary expression, who was actually trying her best not to laugh as well.

"Stars, Blue, why did you let her _do_ that?" She shook her head, a smile curling up her lips as she rolled her eyes. "All of you are insane, but I guess I'm in this, too." Waving her hand dismissively, she orders for the Pyrites to come on out and assemble at Homeworld's temporarily built meeting point.

"Oh. And Blue, let her see that gem you spent ages on. I think it's time."

Pink turns to the other diamond expectantly, unsure of what they are talking about, surprised when Blue came up with a bubble. Inside held a gem in the shape of a heart, and moreover it was pink as well. 

"Hah, Blue, who's _that_?" She gazed down at the gem curiously, jumping backwards when Blue pops the bubble. The heart gem floats up into the air, limbs growing in the shape of light, before wrapping itself tightly around Pink's torso, giggles reverberating thoroughout the room. She could barely ask any questions, immediately feeling the gem launch onto her and push her back onto the ground. 

"I'm so excited to meet you!" The new gem's form stabilises at once, black eyes so full of hope as she focused on Pink. From how close they were, Pink could see how her hair was styled into a pair of heart-shaped buns, and with every movement she made, there was a squishy sound, most likely from her pink, rounded boots.

"... Who-- just who _are_ you? What's going on?" She didn't know who this was, and she didn't know why the gem was here, but either way, she was happy to see a new type of gem. She abruptly realised something and her eyes grew wider.

"Wait. Are you-- _mine_ to keep?" 


End file.
